If you have asked me of the origination of unease, then I shall explain it to you in accordance with my understanding: Whatever various forms of unease there are in the world, They originate founded in encumbering accumulation. (Pārāyanavagga)

Exalted in mind, just open and clearly aware, the recluse trained in the ways of the sages:One who is such, calmed and ever mindful, He has no sorrows! -- Udana IV, 7

We had an employee at work who used to regularly punctuate the day with long, drawn-out anecdotes about pretty much anything pointless.... so one day, I asked her politely, to consider first, of what use this information was to her, and then, of what possible use it might be to us. "There is charm in silence, and wisdom in the unspoken word" I explained. (Don't ask me where that came from. I think I made it up, but doubtless it's re-worked from somewhere.)

Some time later, she approached me, and opened her mouth to speak...paused, then said, "You know, I just had something I wanted to tell you, but I realised how utterly pointless it is." And laughing, she walked away.

I think if we were to apply the same premise to everything we think of saying, it would be a lot quieter, over all......

Mouth and ears - use in proportion. Then use Mind to consider whether portion worth the effort.

Actually, living with people who test your patience (and basically every precept you're trying to build your life on) is a pretty good environment for watching what comes out of your mouth.Because everything that comes out of your mouth, has to come to Mind, first.Wrong Speech doesn't begin with what we say.It begins with what we think of saying.That's where you have to know when to apply the brake.

While we, as Buddhists, strive to practice right speech ourselves, it might be just as beneficial to take others' wrong speech with as much equanimity as we can muster.

Life's too short to dwell on things we can't control anyway.

"The serene and peaceful mind is the true epitome of human achievement."-- Ajahn Chah, Living Dhamma

"To reach beyond fear and danger we must sharpen and widen our vision. We have to pierce through the deceptions that lull us into a comfortable complacency, to take a straight look down into the depths of our existence, without turning away uneasily or running after distractions." -- Bhikkhu Bodhi

Tex wrote:While we, as Buddhists, strive to practice right speech ourselves, it might be just as beneficial to take others' wrong speech with as much equanimity as we can muster.

Indeed. There's a 'Speech Blessing' meditation in the Vajrayana tradition which I have found useful. It includes:

Mindfulness gives me the power to control the use of my own speech And the wisdom not to be adversely affected by other people's verbal abuseBy understanding it as expressions of their mental suffering.

When other people are unable to use their speech skillfully, May I develop empathy to remain calm, focused and patientSo that they will be relieved of their suffering.

Sacha G wrote:Hello friendsJust a short post to say that, though I appreciate this forum very much, I'm a bit disappointed by the way some here write to others. Indeed, some speak with harsh words, wanting to be right at all cost, and being sarcastic.

Jhana4 wrote:My apologies for interrupting the penis waving contest now in progress. Despite the large amount of antagonistic noise on DW ( some of it coming from some of the admins in addition to the readers ) I've found some really useful gems among the posts.

he said, adding to the noise of which he complains.

One of the oddly interesting things I have seen over the time I have been online from 300 baud modems to now is the pointy complaints about pointy exchanges, which simply adds further to the pointyness of what may be going on.

But, however, the point made here, by J4, beyond the real or imagined pointyness one might find in an exchange is an excellent point may be missed by taking the real or imagined pointyness of an exchange as being the point. We may need to forgive ourselves and our brothers and sisters their small failings in this regard in order to get to the real point. As Gandhi said: "We need to be the change we wish to see in the world [or in this small electronic world in which engage]."

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond.SN I, 38.

Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireas na daoine.People live in one another’s shelter.

What is the point of sarcasm? Anyone defending it from a Buddhist standpoint?

Sarcasm is just evidence of the shortcomings in the person expressing it, and even more: an indication that the person expressing sarcasm is not aware of it, or not insightful enough to abandon it. Any belief in the own spiritual progress that is concurrent with expressions of sarcasm must be questioned as a self-delusion. A mind giving rise to sarcasm is not a mind of wisdom, and a mind of non-wisdom believing it has spiritual progress is extensively deluded.

Another opinion is that sarcasm is the result of people feeling like they have been silenced or feeling like they have not been heard.

In reading the scriptures, there are two kinds of mistakes:One mistake is to cling to the literal text and miss the inner principles.The second mistake is to recognize the principles but not apply them to your own mind, so that you waste time and just make them into causes of entanglement.

There are a couple of posters on this forum who imo almost always go for the inane or provacative. They are on my foe list so i never have to see their posts if im logged in.

Come to think of it, if you could add mods to the ignore list this forum would be just about perfect.

"When you meditate, don't send your mind outside. Don't fasten onto any knowledge at all. Whatever knowledge you've gained from books or teachers, don't bring it in to complicate things. Cut away all preoccupations, and then as you meditate let all your knowledge come from what's going on in the mind. When the mind is quiet, you'll know it for yourself. But you have to keep meditating a lot. When the time comes for things to develop, they'll develop on their own. Whatever you know, have it come from your own mind.http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai ... eleft.html

m0rl0ck wrote:Come to think of it, if you could add mods to the ignore list this forum would be just about perfect.

It is good to see you feel we are doing a good job. We try and it is not always easy, but there is an easy answer to your mods problem: If the name is red or green, ignore it.

Actually i do think you all do a pretty good job considering what you ahve to deal with. No offense intended, just having a little fun

"When you meditate, don't send your mind outside. Don't fasten onto any knowledge at all. Whatever knowledge you've gained from books or teachers, don't bring it in to complicate things. Cut away all preoccupations, and then as you meditate let all your knowledge come from what's going on in the mind. When the mind is quiet, you'll know it for yourself. But you have to keep meditating a lot. When the time comes for things to develop, they'll develop on their own. Whatever you know, have it come from your own mind.http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai ... eleft.html